Shoe or boot



0. H. FR'ETZ.

SHOE 0R BOOT.

(No Model.)

Patented 1390.21.1886,

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NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. FRETZ, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

SHOE OR BOOT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 354,832, dated December 21, 1886.

Application filed September 9, 1886.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES H. FRETZ, acitizen of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Walking Shoes or Boots, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this'specifieation, and in which Figure l isa side view illustrating my improved shoe. Fig. 2 is a bottom view. Figs. 3 and i are detail longitudinal sections taken on line 3 4, Fig. 2, Fig. 3 showing the two parts of the sole of the shoe in a horizontal line, and Fig. 4. showing the heel turned slightly frolna horizontal position.

My invention relates to certain improvements in walking shoes or boots, (the invention being shown applied to a shoe, but which may also be used on boots;) and my invention consistsin features of novelty,hereinafterfully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the sole of the shoe or boot, which is made in two parts, hinged together at B, and which is preferably made of wood, and to the sole the upper O is secured by tacks or other suitable form of attachment. The toe part of thesole A is made with a semicircular recess or concavity, E, in which fits a semicircular extension or convexity, F, on the heel part of the sole, the parts when held together working against each other in the manner of a balland-socket joint, allowing the heel part of the sole to rise from a horizontal to an inclined position, as shown in Fig. 4, to afford ease in walking. The two parts are held together-or, in other words, are connected-by hinges consisting of two sets of plates, I and J, theplates I being secured by 'rods or rivets I to the toe part of the sole A, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. and by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and the parts J being secured by rivets or rods J to the heel 45 part of the sole. The ends of the plates over- Serial No. 213,133. (No model.)

lap slightly at the projection F, and are connected at this point by a rod or long rivet, L- The two parts of the sole are thus heldtogether, but are allowed to work freely on each other at the joint.

Slots M are made in the parts froni'the inside, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4., to receive the platesIandJ. Theslotsdonotextendthrough the sole, so that dampness is not admitted into the shoe.

The heel part of the sole has a recess forming a shoulder, 0, against which comes the upper part, P, formed by the groove E in the front part of the sole. The object of this is to prevent the inner part ofthe sole turning too far into a vertical position.

N represents an insole, with which the shoe may be provided.

I claim as my invention 1. In a shoe or boot, a sole divided transversely into two parts, one part having a concave groove and the other part having a convex projection fitting in the groove at the division-line of the sole, in combination with hinges connecting the parts together, as set forth.-

:2. In a shoeor boot, in combination with the two-part sole, one part having a semicircular groove forming a point, P, and theother part having asemicircular projection forming a shoulder, O, the hinges for connecting the parts together, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the sections A A, of the plates I and J, having perforations I, J, and L, said sections being provided at points intermediate of their edges with a groove for receiving each plate and supporting it in a vertical plane, and rods passed through said perforations for securing the plates to the respective sections and to each other, substantially as set forth.

CHAS. H. FRETZ.

In presence of GEo. H. KNIGHT, J. WAHLE. 

